Combination bunker and residential building structure



March 24, 1959 R. G. CRABBE 2,378,665

COMBINATION BUNKER AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDING STRUCTURE FilBd OC.. 20,1955 Patented Mar. 24, 19,59

2,878,665 COMBINATION BUNKER AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDING STRUCTURE RupertG. Crabbe, Mount Clemens, Mich.

Application October 20, 1955, Serial No. 541,798

1 Claim. (Cl. 721) This invention relates to building structuresforresidential purposes and, in particular, to residential buildingstructures providing protection against aerial bombs.

One object of this invention is to provide a combination bunker andresidential building structure which is built on the surface of theground to provide adequate drainage, yet which is banked in such amanner as to-deect the force of an aerial bomb blast other than a directhit, and which may be lived in at all times in a comfortable andsanitary manner like an ordinary unprotected residence building.

Another object is to provide a combination bunker and residentialbuilding structure of the foregoing character which also includes acarport or garage recess or tunnel from which a protected entrancepassageway rleads into the living quarters of the building structure.

Another object is to provide a combination bunker and residentialbuilding structure of the foregoing character wherein the roof of thestructure, which is preferably of reinforced concrete lighted by glassblocks or` other similar light-admitting means, also provides arecreation area or deck for use by a family in times of peace.

Another object is to provide a combination bunker and residentialbuilding structure as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein astairway or ladder in a vertical well or tunnel provides not onlyemergency exit at the opposite end of the living quarters from the mainentrance thereof, but also provides means for rapidly reaching the roofdeck.

Another object is to provide a combination bunker and residentialbuilding structure of the foregoing character wherein the oor of theliving quarters is at or near the ground level outside the structure,the structure being surrounded by a sloping earthwork or embankmentwhich is adapted to be planted with grass, shru'bbery, flowersor otherfoliage to enhance the appearance of the structure as well as to holdthe earth in position and prevent erosion thereof as a result ofrainfall on the roof deck.

Another object is to provide a combination bunker and residentialbuilding structure of the foregoing character wherein the carport orgarage is in the form of a tunnel which is open at its opposite ends sothat the force of an explosion can blow directly through it withoutinterference other than from a possible automobile occupying the lowerportion of the tunnel, thereby further protecting the entrances to thestructure from being caved in by the force of such an explosion.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a combination bunker and residentialbuilding structure, according to one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, with the roof partly in section, of thestructure shown in Figure l and Figure 3 is a right-hand end elevationof the structure shown in Figures l and 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 to' 3V inclusive show acombined bunker and residential building structure, generally designated10, according to one form of the invention as consisting generally of abuilding structure 12 surrounded by a sloping earthwork 14. The buildingstructure 12 is preferably built of reinforced concrete with a fioor 16disposed approximately at or near the ground level G surrounding thestructure 10, opposite side walls 18 and 20, opposite end walls 22 and24 and a roof 26 enclosing a living space or living quarters 28. Thechamber 28 forming the living quarters is shown, for purposes ofsimplicity, as being without partitions but, in practice, suchpartitions would optionally be inserted4 for the convenience of theoccupants at any location desired. The usual drainage arrangements (notshown) are provided for the oor 16, and also the usual sanitary andplumbing facilities, together with the usual lighting ixtures. Airconditioning or dehumidifying and heating equipment is also provided inclimates where these are necessary or desirable. An emergency powersource, such as an electrical generator driven by a gasoline or Dieselengine is also preferably provided. Air filtering and washing equipmentfor screening out or removing noxious gases or particles in the air,such as particles of radioactive isotopes resulting from a nuclearexplosion, is also provided. All of this optional or conventionalequipment has been omitted from the drawings to simplify the showing.

The floor 16 and the side and end walls 18, 20, 22 and 24'are ofconventional construction and are provided with the usual water-proofingcoatings to prevent damp- The roof 26 includes a reinforced concreteportion32v having a multiplicity of openings 34 in which transparentblocks 36 of glass or other suitable material are seated. The chamber 28is provided with a -ceiling 38 with slightly smaller openings 40 alignedwith the openings 34 to provide entrance of daylight as well as to formseatsfor holding the transparent blocks 36 in position. Conventionalshades, roller blinds, Venetian blinds or louvers or the like arepreferably provided beneath the ceiling openings 40 to regulate-theamount of daylight admitted as Well as to shield the occupants fromflash burns from heat or, to some extent, from radiation emitted by theeX- plosion of a nuclear bomb. The roof 26 is also preferably providedwith additional yventilation openings 42 spaced at intervals thereon andequipped with the stacks or conduits 44 .of ventilators 46, the conduits44 in turn being provided with covers 48 hinged or otherwise adjustablysecured thereto. The covers 48 are so arranged that they may be openedin normal weather and closed partially or wholly in bad weather and intimes of pending aerial attack. The roof 26 is finally provided with achimney opening 50 in which a chimbey 52 is mounted and provided withthe usual ue 54 for connection to a stove, furnace, fireplace, waterheater, or other heating appliance or appliances.

In order to provide access from the living quarters or chamber 28 to theroof surface 30, the end wall 22 is provided with an emergency exitdoorway 56 equipped with a door 58 and opening into an upwardly-directedwell or tunnel 60 of partially circular cross-section and equipped witha stairway or ladder 62. The emergency exit door 58 is preferably of theair-tight and water-tight f f e 3 compartment doorsfound in navalvessels at sea and provided with dogging cams g and levers for sealingit hermetically.

Theearthwork 14 surrounding the building structure 12 is preferably inthe form of an embankment of frusto-. pyramidal shape with elongatedsloping side portions 64 and 66 and sloping end portions 68 and 70interconnecting them. v The earth of which this embankment 14 iscomposed is sloped at such an angle as to most eiectively deflect theblast coming from an explosion off to one side of the structure 10, suchas from an aerial nuclear bomb. This earthwork or embankment 14 ispreferably planted with` grass, shrubbery or other foliage tending n otonly.

to beautify the structure but also to hold the earth in position againsterosion by water draining from the roof surface 30.

yMain access to the living quarters or chamber 28 is provided throughinner and outer doorways 72 and 74 closed by doors 76 and 78 preferablyof the same type as the door 58, at opposite ends of a reinforcedconcrete entryway, passageway or tunnel 80. The roof 26 preferablyextends over the passageway 80 and likewise over a tunnel 82 withparallel walls 84 sloping downward at their opposite ends as at 86 toaccord with the slope of the embankment 14. The roof extension portion88 over the entrance passageway 80 and the further extension 90 over thetransverse tunnel 82 are optionally apertured as at 92 and 94respectively and equipped with transparentblocks 96 and 98 respectivelyfor admission of daylight.

The outer doorway 74 opens into the transverse tunnell 82, which isprovided with a oor 100 connected by a passageway iloor 102 to the mainiloor 16. The iioors 100 and 102 are likewise preferably of concrete andsuitably drained to permit water to ow away.

In the use of the combined bunker and residential building structure 10of the invention, the occupants live in it as in an ordinary dwelling,and employ the tunnel or carport 82 for,i the purpose of holding thefamily automobile A, the latter being driven past the main entranceopening or doorway 74 in order to avoid obstructingthe latter. Theventilators 46, with or without motor. driven fans or other Ventilatingequipment, provide adequate ventilation in times of peace and the covers48 thereof may be raised or lowered in accordance with the desires ofthe occupant. The daylight coming through the transparent blocks 36, 96and 98 may be regulated by the shades, blinds or louvers and these inturn may be used to provide blackout protection to prevent light frominterior lighting from being visible in the sky overhead in time of waror imminent attack. By reason of its being banked by the slopingearthwork 14, the living quarters or chamber 28 is cool in summer andwarm in winter. The roof surface 30 provides a recreation 'area for thefamily which may be equipped withA awnings, beach umbrellas, or othersuitable porch or lawn equipment or furniture.

. In time of war or imminent attack, the ventilators 48 are closed andthe shutters or blinds over the ceiling openings 40 likewise closed toprevent emission of light from the interior, so as to prevent detectionby hostile aircraft than possibly to an automobile A therein, therebypro-V overhead,"H If an aerial bomb explodes in the vicinity of thestructure 10 and not directly overhead, its force will be deflected bythe sloping embankment or earthwork 14, thus preventing collapsing ofthe side walls and roof 18 to 26 inclusive, protecting the residents ofthe structure from injury. The thickness of the earth and the roof 26provide adequate protection for the residents against the heat blastaccompanying the explosionaud also, in most cases, against the radiationblast which also results from a nuclear explosion. Moreover, the forceof an explosion tends to pass harmlessly through the openendedtransverse tunnel 82 without serious damage other a protective earthembankment disposed against and out wardly of said side walls andsurrounding said structure,

said embankment having inclined exposed surfaces sloping upwardly fromthe ground level substantially to the roof level, an elongated outerconcrete access tunnel extending through said embankment from side toside thereof past said building structure and spaced laterally outwardaway from one side wall of said structure, and an elon-` gated innerconcrete access tunnel disposed within saidv embankment substantially atright angles to said outer access tunnel and extending from said oneside wall to` said outer access tunnel at a location intermediate theopposite yends of said outer access tunnel and communiopeningstherethrough and relatively thick blocks of lighttransmitting materialdisposed in said openings.

References Cited in the le of this patent

